Customer Reviews

Please Clap Your Hands

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Bird And The Bee are Inara George and Greg Kurstin. Inara has a voice like a pixie-ish angel, but both of them are multi-instrumentalists, and obviously highly trained in musical composition. Inara creates beautiful harmonies and choruses through the use of studio overdubbing. Kurstin is master of all things keyboard.

This new Bird And The Bee project, like the earlier album, seems to be aiming at a certain attitude, a certain style: modern, yet taking elements of soft 1960s pop music. They project a sort of wink-wink hipster ambivalence in most of the songs, except the final beautiful and heartfelt love song, How Deep Is Your Love.

I could almost make an argument that the group is an example of style over substance. Almost. The melodies, arrangements, production are astoundingly sophisticated and creative. Perhaps in this respect they could be compared to Steely Dan: great music, great production, sly attitude, but generally not aimed at touching the heart.

Still, these two musicians are producing some of the greatest pop music released this year. While the first album and this EP have been fun, I hope that in the future they can marry their musical talents to something a little more intimate and emotional -- like some of the material from Inara George's recent solo CD, All Rise. I have a feeling that what they've done so far, great as it is, entertaining as it is, will not wear well if they try to tread the same gound again on the next album.

These guys are one of the best modern groups out there. Those who enjoy Radiohead,Bjork, Stereolab, electronic or Brazilian music should be advised to pick this up. Great songwriting incorporating the best of Brazilian/Bossa Nova and modern American pop w/fantastic, subdued yet bubbly electronic beats.... seriously fine programming, seriously fine harmonies/harmony(great keyboard work). Also a cool cover of a BEE GEEs classic(great choice).
God Bless Greg Kurstin and Inara George for this sublime modern music project! Check out there full length Album and also Inara's solo album(w/same musicians basically) called All Rise!

With a sound that we have come to know from The Bird and The Bee comes the Sophomore EP I have been waiting to hear. disappointed that it is just an EP and not a full LP. I still love it. I recommend this new album for any fan out there. Please Clap Your Hands is a great little didy that gets foot tapping from the first song.

If Ivy is the indie Carpenters (Dominique Durand is a dead ringer for Karen Carpenter (see "Edge Of The Ocean") then The Bird And The Bee is The Captain And Tennile - - down to Inara George's coiffure and backup vocals, particularly on "The Polite Dance Song." Heck, they even cover Bee Gees faithfully and without a trace of irony, just to prove how retro-cool they are. It might also mean that The Carpenters, The C&T and Bee Gees were decades ahead of their time(s). File under Extremely Listener Friendly. Edge of the Ocean

if there ever was such a category as indie posh, this band would be it. very stylish, never fails to please, survives repeated listenings, ingenious, picturesque and stimulating music and i could go on forever.

this follow up to their debut album does not let you down. every tune is carefully crafted to give you a psychedelic sonic trip. no boring melodies or banal arrangements from this duo. this is indie pop at its finest. inara's vocals floating over the music makes your heart light and your spirit dance. its a kind of epiphanic happiness captured on a CD. listening to them makes you realise that your world can be a happy place with just a smile even on a cloudy day.

my favorite track from this EP is the one titled "Man"... for some reason this band reminds me of what the late 90s band "Mono" (Formica Blues) could have been after the one hit wonder "life in mono". Full of references to nostalgic hippie rose colored days, psuedo jazz nuances and for some unknown reason it kinda feels french (probably because i'm reminded of that french electronic band "Air").

Not enough credit has been given to 1 song from the debut album... "Spark"... so i'm stealing some space here to publicize it. Its so sweet and sentimental. This band is definitely not out to fill an album with mediocre boring stuff just to release one. They are real song craftsmen inventing sweet tunes and music to capture your imagination. If lyrics were all that mattered, you might as well read a poem, or listen to some garth brooks (gasp!) lol

This EP's only real problem is that it's not a Full Length... It's everything that Inara George has ever put out before (as in stylistically, if you've heard her Solo Album or heard the Bird And The Bee's full length then you've heard this). The lyrics are a bit off the wall, but the first song "Polite Dance Song" is just that. A catchy dance tune that is very polite and courteous (though it does have some "dirty" aspects to it), "Man" is a decent track, I really like the layering on "The Races.," "So You Say" has a bit of a 70's dance feel to it, and the standout track is the Bee Gee's cover "How Deep Is Your Love". The B & The B cover of "How Deep Is Your Love" is fantastic. It is very soulful, stays true to the original with a very Bird and Bee feel to it, and has just beautiful vocals over a good sparse track... It's great...

Perhaps Inara was listening to her father's band (Little Feet), but you sure wouldn't know it listening to this. But while none of their originals or covers even hint at bar band boogie and furocity, it certainly portrays a beguiling shagadelic hipness favorably to the tried and true romantic ballads that the soporific 70's Saps were cranking out in droves.
It is here where Inara George completely out does herself with a bewilderingly nailed version of an otherwise bland 70's disco ballad How Deep is Your Love. It works on every level. It is a question every girl askd her man on their wedding night (provided they waited that long to consumate). Instead of squirming to the Bee Gees falsettos asking you how deep your love is, you are taken in by the tip toe through the air approach Imara's waifish feminine voice delivers in the verses. She then presses the issue singing more longingly and assuringly in the chorus. The lyrics resonate like never before revealing the genuine feeling that was once lost in a wash of Stigwood production syrup way back when. While many may think there is no where else for them to go with what they've done so far they certainly hit the watershed with this one song. Let's hope love will keep this next-gen Captain and Tenielle together. (just no muskrat love, ok).

You guys are awesome. I recived the package very quickly and it was in great condition. Thank you! -Chris White

This album was a pleasant surprise for me. I have not been a long time fan. The Bird and The Bee came on my radar because of their tribute to Hall and Oates album. I thought that every song offered a unique aspect that I enjoyed. I especially liked the Bee Gees cover of How Deep is Your Love. Probably an album for fans and completists like myself.

Few tracks but all are very catchy, do people still say catchy? I seem to love everything that the Bird and the Bee come out with, good grief I haven't been a fan of anything for years. Well done!